Resident Bill of Rights
Purpose
To ensure that residents rights are clearly stated and accessible to residents, family, visitors and staff.
Objective
To promote understanding of residents’ rights amongst residents, patients, family members, visitors and staff, recognizing their varying abilities.
Rights
- Every resident and patient have the right to be treated with courtesy and respect at all times and in a way that embraces dignity, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Residents and patients have the right to shelter, nutritious meals and support with personal care in a manner consistent with their needs and in a safe, clean and home-like environment.
- Residents and patients (or legally designated persons) have the right to access and receive information regarding their own medical file.
- Residents and patients (or their legal representatives) have the right to collaborate with health care providers, be informed and give or refuse consent to treatment, including medication, in accordance with the law.
- Subject to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, residents and patients have the right of:
- Freedom of conscience, religion, culture and language
- Freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression
- Freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Residents and patients have the right to communicate and have contact with and visits to and from friends, family, legal representatives and others in private if desired.
- Residents and patients have the right to retain their autonomy and to receive assistance towards maximizing and maintaining their independence with recognition of the limitations they may be experiencing ex. choosing personal items to be kept in their room, space permitting, and selecting clothing worn each day.
- Residents and patients have the right to choose their own recreational activities and pursuits of interest and well-being
- Residents and patients have the right to privacy.
- Residents and patients have the right to be free from all forms of neglect and abuse, including verbal, physical, financial and psychological abuse.
- Residents and patients have the right to have access to policies and procedures related to initiating complaints or commendations.
- Residents and patients have the right to be free from all forms of reprisal, retribution or discrimination as a result of exercising any of the above rights.
Inherent in the Resident Bill of Rights is the recognition of the residents and patients’ responsibility to take into consideration the rights and needs of others.